pinchtozoom
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Chrome OS adds pinch-to-zoom for regular users, Pixel owners rejoice
When Google launched the Chromebook Pixel, we weren't really sure what to make of the premium device's touchscreen. Sure, finger-friendly displays were trendy, but Chrome OS just wasn't asking for the technologies: it didn't feature many touch apps, the laptop didn't launch with a gesture update and user's couldn't even pinch-zoom web pages. Now, that's changing -- to go along with more touch-enabled Chromebooks now on sale, the latest update to Chrome OS' stable channel adds a touch-enabled window manager and pinch/zoom webpage scaling. [Image credit: François Beaufort]
US patent office throws out Apple's pinch-to-zoom claim against Samsung
For those of you eagerly following the seemingly never-ending legal battle between Apple and Samsung (cue crickets), a recent decision by the US Patent and Trademark Office has thrown a wrench into Apple's master plan. According to documents filed by Samsung in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California on Sunday, Apple's Patent No. 7,844,915, which covers the two-finger pinch-to-zoom gesture, was found wanting by the USPTO due to it being anticipated by other patents and declared otherwise non-patentable, much like its "overscroll bounce" claim. Apple has up to two months to dispute the decision, though whether or not that action would gain the company any ground, either with federal court or the Patent Trial and Appeal Board, remains to be seen.
Gmail 4.2.1 for Android adds easier resizing, swipe features and more
That leaked Gmail APK we peeked at a month or so ago turned out to be right on the money. Google has just released version 4.2.1 of the Gmail app for Android, which does indeed add pinch-to-zoom on individual messages and swipe (left or right) to delete or archive. There are a couple of features we didn't see in the initial leak though, which are the ability to "auto-fit" a message to your phone's screen and a new thumbnail view of attached images -- you can then tap a thumbnail for a swipeable gallery. If still pictures aren't your bag, it's finally possible to attach phone-captured videos to an email as well. This version of Gmail is only available for phones with Android 4.0 or higher however, so older devices might be out of luck. If your device qualifies, you can download the new version of Gmail right now from the Google Play store.
Apparent Gmail for Android 4.2 leak shows off pinch-to-zoom, swipe features
If you've been desperate for new Gmail on your Android, a leaked APK obtained by Android Police -- that may or may not have come from one of those LG E960 Mako (alleged) Nexus phones that it seems everyone has -- is sporting some fresh tweaks. As seen in this demo video, the update adds pinch-to-zoom on individual messages, as well as swipe to delete or archive. The app itself is labeled as version 4.2, and while the APK isn't widely available, the site reports that if it is released you'll need to be rooted and running Android 4.0 or higher to get an early taste of the future.
ITRI touchscreen technology lets you pinch-to-zoom boob tubes of any size (video)
Turning a plain old display into a multi-touch affair isn't exactly a groundbreaking feat, but we're still drooling over the Industrial Technology Research Institute's (ITRI) latest touchscreen enabler. The Taiwan-based outfit recently showed off a new attachment that the folks over at Netbooknews claim can make displays of any size touch-friendly. We're told that the touchy-feely accessory is still in development, which means it probably won't hit our living room anytime soon, but our fingers are tingling just thinking of the possibilities. Hop on past the break to see the thing in action.
Opera delivers new Mini, Mobile browsers with pinch-to-zoom and shows off one for TVs
Web browser maker Opera is staying busy, unleashing several new versions of its product upon the populace today. Both of its on the go browsers have been updated with modern technology like pinch-to-zoom, sharing to other apps, improved scrolling and new tablet-friendly interfaces, while its also ready to show off a new version for set-top boxes and updating tools to help developers create apps for Opera-powered TVs. In case you need a scorecard, Opera Mini 6 (available for J2ME, Android, Blackberry, Symbian/S60) compresses pages before downloading them and Opera Mobile 11 (for Android, Symbian, Windows 7, MeeGo, Maemo) promises the entire web for those on high speed connections like WiFi, explaining the platform crossover. Peep the demo above or press releases after the break if you're still not sure what pinch-to-zoom means in or just point your mobile browser to m.opera.com and download the latest version for your device -- iOS need not apply at this time.
Sony Ericsson Xperia X10's multitouch update rolling out now; X8, X10 Mini, and X10 Mini Pro getting ANT+ support soon
That pinch-to-zoom update for the Xperia X10 that Japanese customers got an early lead on is now rolling out around the globe according to a new blog post from the boys and girls at Sony Ericsson. That may not be the most interesting part, though: they're also chatting up a future firmware update that'll enable ANT+ support on the Xperia X8, X10 Mini, and X10 Mini Pro, a capability baked into the chipsets on those devices that Sony Ericsson hadn't previously exploited. Theoretically, that means that heart rate monitors and other wearable fitness gear -- a market where ANT+ has really blossomed -- could connect directly to your phone rather than passing through a computer with an ANT+ dongle first, perfect for analyzing jogs on the go. Of course, workout technology is always more appealing than the workout itself... but if you can solve that problem, Sony Ericsson, let us know. You can find us on the couch over there. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Sony Ericsson Xperia X10's pinch-to-zoom update starts rolling out this week -- in Japan
It's been a long, tough, road, but customers of Sony Ericsson's beleaguered X10 have some reason to celebrate this week as the Japanese version offered on NTT DoCoMo becomes the first to get an official multitouch software upgrade. Mind you, it's not a full, perfect multitouch implementation: pinch-to-zoom is actually the only gesture supported, which means rotation (in Maps, for example) won't work, and it's also not guaranteed to work in all multitouch-capable third-party apps. Furthermore, Sony Ericsson isn't yet talking about when the update will be available for other markets -- and considering the phased Android 2.1 rollout, some markets could be in for a bit of a wait. [Thanks, Vidit]
Sony fires barrage of touchscreen patent applications, only one points at new PSP
Lawyers for Sony Computer Entertainment America must have been mighty busy last October, hatching the wild scheme that came to light this week -- a series of eight intertwining patent applications all describing a single device with an intriguing touchscreen interface. Though it's hard to tell what form the final device might take -- the apps suggest sliders, clamshells and slates -- a few distinct ideas bubble to the surface, and we'll knock them out one by one. First, the inventors seem to be rather particular about having a touchpad that's separate from the main screen -- perhaps even on its back like the rumored PSP2 -- and Sony's trying to patent a way to manipulate objects through the screen as well. Second, there's a lot of mumbo-jumbo about being able to "enhance" or "transform" the user interface in response to different forms of input, which seems to boil down to this: Sony's trying to get some multitouch up in there, especially pinch-to-zoom. Last but not least, the company's looking to cordon off a section of touchscreen buttons, including a 'paste' command, and patent a "prediction engine" that would dynamically change the onscreen layout based on your past behavior. If most of these ideas sound more at home in a new tablet computer rather than a gaming handheld, then great minds think alike. Still, SCEA is Sony's gaming division -- forlorn Linux computing aside -- so consider us stumped for now.
Xperia X10 will get pinch-to-zoom in Q1 2011, with some limitation (video)
There's been a long back-and-forth from Sony Ericsson and the dev community as to whether or not the Xperia X10 was at all capable of multi-touch -- the company stance has been that the hardware just can't do it, but still whispers to the contrary have lingered. Consider those murmurs validated: Sony Ericsson Product Blog has announced that the X10 will, in fact, get multi-touch in the first quarter of next year -- with some caveats. The large asterisk that's destined to clarify the minutiae will tell you that pinch-to-zoom will be enabled for browser and maps, but as the blog post put it, "situations like when the movement of the two fingers cross each other on the X- or Y-axis that could cause strange behavior." Third-party apps should be able to join some functionality, too, with the similar limitations (including when buttons must be pressed simultaneously -- that won't work). In the video demonstration after the break, take note how Angry Birds doesn't quite pinch and zoom smoothly. So yeah, it's not all sunshine, but at least there's something to look forward to.
Skyfire for iPhone hands-on (video)
Although Skyfire for iPhone is almost exactly like its Android counterpart, it's still not available for download in the App Store due to server issues, so we thought you might want to see how it works. We've seen improvements on the Flash-to-HTML5 conversion servers in the past day or so, which makes watching videos a breeze. The app itself serves as a fully functional browser with the usual features you'd hope to find: bookmarking, a dedicated search bar, custom homepage, and even private browsing. Pages render rather quickly, although scrolling and pinching to zoom is a little rough around the edges. As for actually watching Flash videos, it couldn't be easier -- once you've navigated to a page embedded with a video, a popup window will appear and you're good to go. Sadly, though, the browser lacks the ability to scrub videos. But hey, if you've been waiting three-plus years to play flash videos on your 3.5-inch display, Skyfire might (or might not) be the solution to your burning desire. Be sure to check out the browser in action after the break!
Apple awarded limited patent on pinch-to-zoom
Boom: Apple was just awarded a patent on pinch-to-zoom for multitouch displays. That's the first directly applicable patent we've seen on the gesture since we first started looking during the Apple / Palm war of words in January 2009, and it certainly gives Apple some potent ammunition against its competitors -- although there are some specific limitations on what Apple's been granted that will prove to be important. Let's break it down, shall we? Patent #7,812,826 was first applied for on December 29, 2006, and over the course of the patent process the claims have been significantly narrowed to cover a very specific set of actions: #nilay-num-list { margin: 20px 0 20px 50px; color: #BBB; font-weight: bold; } #nilay-num-list li { margin: 3px 0; } #nilay-num-list li em { font-style: normal; color: #444; font-weight: normal; } A multitouch display detects at least two contacts. Those contacts perform a first gesture. That gesture adjusts an image in some way: magnification, orientation and rotation are specifically claimed, but the patent is broad enough to cover virtually any adjustment. The first set of contacts is broken. A second set of contacts is detected. The second contacts perform another gesture within a pre-determined period of time. The gesture continues to adjust the image in the same way. It's steps 5, 6, and 7 that are critically important here: Apple doesn't have a patent on "pinch-to-zoom" generally, but rather pinching to zoom, and then pinching to zoom again within some fixed period of time. How long that period lasts is totally up in the air, but it has to be defined somewhere -- this patent doesn't really apply unless there's a clock running and a second gesture takes place. Still, it's the first granted patent on the now-ubiquitous gesture we've seen, and based on its filing history it's essentially effective as of December 30, 2005 -- long before anything multitouch products with pinch to zoom had arrived on the market. That's no small weapon to bear -- we'll see what Apple does with it. P.S.- Apple was also awarded some 17 other patents yesterday, including two more that deal with multitouch, but none of 'em are nearly as interesting as this one. Hit the via link for more on those.
Fortrend's Magic MousePad blends multitouch and numpad functionality into a single package
Were you hoping for a little Magic Trackpad action out of WWDC today? The above Magic MousePad may not fit the bill, but as far as numpads with added functionality go, it's an interesting one. Spotted at Computex 2010 by our friends at Engadget Chinese, the Magic Mouse homage is spot-on -- like Apple's finger-cramping product, the entire surface is a gesture-aware touchpad. Of course, by replacing the physical keys with a digitizer, much of its potency as a 10-key is lost... No word on pricing or availability as it seems like the thing is still in development, but if you'd like a wireless keyboard too, you can always opt for a built-in one.
Resistive HTC devices can have (pseudo) multitouch, too
"Multitouch on a resistive screen?" We must be joking, right? Not at all -- if we've learned anything from our encounters with a little firm named Stantum, resistive multitouch is not only possible, but potentially preferable to its capacitive counterpart. Of course, that knowledge doesn't help you any if you're currently stuck with single finger commands, but if your phone is made by HTC and running Windows Mobile, you may one day get to see what two digit input feels like. Adel Al Zubeir figured out that when two fingers are placed on a single-touch screen, the digitizer reads the spot between the two... and with a little bit of math, he cooked up a program that can figure out the relative position of both fingers to allow vaguely useful pinch-to-zoom and other dual-touch gestures. Sadly, you can't just drop this onto your phone to instantly enable the tech a la Cyanogen, but if you develop for WinMo, you can start building functionality into your apps with the beta SDK at our source link. Early proof-of-concept video after the break. [Thanks, David C.]
HTC Hero shows off multitouch-enabled Sense UI on video
Bear in mind we don't know for sure whether this is a forthcoming iteration of the Sense UI or just an industrious hacker, but the video after the break shows off some pretty sweet multitouch integration into HTC's Android skin. Pinch-to-zoom, that most notorious of functions, is used to achieve an Exposé-like overview of all the widgets you have open, with an easy tap getting you into the one you want. It seems a relatively intuitive action, even if the person showing it off does his or her best to make it look as clumsy as possible. This should be most enticing when considered in light of the purportedly upcoming HTC Hero update to Android 2.1 -- who's to say this isn't what HTC is cooking up as an extra topping for that Eclair? [Thanks, Nader]
Linus Torvalds is now a happy Nexus One owner, pinch to zoom put him over the edge
Linux originator Linus Torvalds isn't really big on these "phone" things, but he's finally caved to his Nexus One lust. In a recent blog post he explains how the G1 never did it for him, despite his love of the "concept" of having a Linux-based phone. He finds phones in general irritating, and cellphones "an opportunity to be irritated wherever you are," but the Nexus One's offer of car-friendly GPS navigation got him thinking he'd have a good excuse to bring it with him places, and the recent announcement of pinch-to-zoom capabilities somehow put him over the edge. He still says the phone part is "kind of secondary," but we sure he'll eventually be won over to the dark side and be just as annoying as the rest of us phone talkers at restaurants.
Nexus One gets a software update, enables multitouch (updated with video!)
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gadgets/Nexus_One_gets_a_software_update_enables_multitouch_Enga'; The iPhone isn't the only handset getting bumped today -- Google's just outed a very, very significant update to the Nexus One that includes Google Goggles on board and a re-upped version of Google Maps that includes suggestions and a dedicated night mode. Much more significantly, though, they've capitulated and enabled multitouch in Browser, Gallery, and Maps -- great news and a big win for the Android community at large. Finally, there are some 3G improvements in there, but you might have to wait a bit -- Google expects to have it rolled out to pretty much everyone toward the end of the week. Seriously though, now that we've gotten that whole multitouch spat cleared up, it's time for Engadget to rally around something else: ridding the world of tiny ninjas, perhaps? Follow the break for a video of the new firmware -- in all its multi-fingered glory -- in action! Update: ReadWriteWeb's gotten an official statement from Google on the question on everyone's mind: why now? The company says that Android 2.1 "powers a new class of devices" with more horsepower and bigger displays, and "based on these new capabilities and numerous requests from Android users, we decided to provide pinch-to-zoom capabilities with this new over-the-air software update for Nexus One devices." This sounds like a total cop-out to us -- HTC got multitouch working just fine on the Hero way back on 1.5 -- so we still think they just got uncomfortable with the noise surrounding the groundswell of demand for it. Of course, that's fine by us -- power to the people, right?
Editorial: Google's multitouch dilemma
As anyone who's seen the last Engadget Show knows, we were incredibly lucky to have Google's Erick Tseng as our guest. Erick is product manager of Android at Google, and he's one of the sharpest, brightest, funniest guys around -- it was great having him on the show, and I sincerely hope we see a lot more of him as time goes by. It's obvious that Android is in capable hands. Of course, the problem with having someone as funny, sharp, and bright as Erick on the show is that they tend to come in extremely well-prepared, and Erick was no exception -- he'd read the many comments where you all asked for solid answers regarding the state of multitouch gestures on Android, and he had his answers ready and polished to a high shine. Like we've been hearing for months now, Erick told us that Android now supports the recognition of multiple touch inputs -- the basic definition of "multitouch" -- and that the real issue is actually how multitouch is implemented. It was a fascinating exchange that I encourage you to watch, but here's the main quote: When people say 'why doesn't Android have multitouch?' it's not a question of 'multitouch'... I want to reframe the question. We have multitouch -- what people are asking for is specific implementations in the UI that use multitouch, like pinch-to-zoom, or chording on the keyboard. That's a solid, respectable answer, and it was delivered with confidence, poise, and charm. There's just one problem: it's not actually an answer, because the semantics don't matter. No matter how you look at it, the lack of "specific multitouch implementations" is still a huge issue with Android -- one that's become a growing distraction.
Milestone multitouch browser ported to the Droid by a user-made patch (video)
This little nugget of software is itself still in beta, but if you can't wait for the full Milestone firmware port to climb out of alpha development, it's a good alternate route to getting your Droid dancing in the "pinch to zoom" party. Once again produced by the good folks over at AllDroid, the patch substitutes the Droid's default browser with the Milestone's multitouch capable one -- and from the feedback we're seeing it does so very cleanly and painlessly, whether you're running Android 2.0.1 or 2.1. You'll still need to root your device first, and some background reading is advisable before jumping in, but then you should be clear for take-off into the world of multitouch browsing. Video evidence after the break. [Thanks, Steve]
Some more perspective on the DROID and multitouch
There's been a whirlwind of chatter about Apple's multitouch patents since the Motorola DROID was released to reviewers sans any built-in support for Android 2.0's multitouch APIs -- there's no pinch-to-zoom in the browser or maps app, and the soft keyboard is decidedly a single-touch affair. What's even more curious is that the DROID clearly supports multitouch, as several new apps have demonstrated, and the overseas UMTS variant of the handset, the MILESTONE, has been shown on video with pinch-to-zoom in the browser several times now. That's led to a ton of speculation that Apple's somehow blocking Google from using pinch-to-zoom in the US, so we thought we'd step in with a little refresher on the state of Apple's multitouch patents and some thoughts how they might be affecting the DROID. Read on!
